Space-dividing wall panels are typically used in open office areas to subdivide a large office area into multiple workstations, meeting areas and the like. Most wall panels in a typical office area are covered on opposite sides thereof with solid cover panels so that the wall panel defines a physical and visual barrier as may be desired between adjacent workstations.
In some instances, however, it is desirable to be able to provide the wall panel with a window or define a glass wall that separates adjacent areas physically but not visually.
One example of a space-dividing wall panel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,835 that discloses a portion of a wall panel having a glass tile that is mountable to the structural framework of the wall panel. The glass tile has a section of glass supported within a rectangular frame which frame is relatively large and obtrusive due to the thickness thereof.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide a see-through wall panel which supports a glass panel thereon that has an improved visual appearance while using a reduced number of parts.
Generally, the invention relates to a see-through wall panel having a rectangular interior frame and glass panels supported on the opposite faces of the panel frame. Each glass panel includes a sheet of glass and vertical and horizontal edge rails which are mounted to the peripheral edges of the glass. While it is known to use elastomeric gaskets on window panes such as in fixed residential or office building windows, the edge rails in the inventive wall panel do not support the glass thereof through a gasket. Rather, in the preferred embodiment, the edge rails on opposite edges of the glass panel include elongate fixing channels in which respective sections of the edge of the glass are received and supported without a gasket therein.
More particularly, the fixing channel in a particular edge rail is defined by outer and inner channel walls which are dimensioned to tight-fittingly receive the glass edge therein. At least one of the channel walls is resiliently deflectable to effectively define a cantilevered spring or jaw which acts against an opposing face of the glass so that the channel walls grip the glass within the channel. The deflectable channel wall generally extends parallel to the face of the glass and has a projection which projects in the direction of glass so that the channel wall preferably contacts the glass face solely through the projection. This reduces the contact area of the deflectable channel wall on the glass face.
As referenced above, the edge of the glass is tight-fittingly received within the fixing channel wherein the deflectable channel wall is deflectable to a relatively small extent to allow insertion of the glass edge and tight-fitting gripping thereof.
While each edge rail preferably is formed of aluminum, it is preferable that the rail material be powder coated although this is not required for suitable gripping of the glass edge. Nevertheless, it is found that the thickness of the glass edge may vary due to tolerances in the glass. As a result, upon insertion of the glass within the rail channel, the edge of the glass may shave off some of the powder coating such that the powder coating serves to accommodate glass tolerances and maintain uniform contact between the glass face and the deflectable channel wall along the length of the fixing channel.
With this arrangement as described in more detail herein, it is possible to minimize the edge rail thickness since only a small portion of the glass is received within the rail channels. This allows the exposed area of the glass to be maximized which thereby provides an improved aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, gaskets are not required in the rail channel which further simplifies construction and assembly.
Other objects and purposes of the invention, and variations thereof, will be apparent upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the arrangement and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.